Bulldogs Hire Ex-Minnesota Coach Brewster

Mississippi State has hired former Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster as its wide receivers coach.

The school confirmed what 247sports.com reported this morning – that Brewster is replacing Angelo Mirando, who abruptly resigned on Sunday citing “unforeseen personal issues.” Head coach Dan Mullen said Tuesday that he was hoping to at least have a short-term plan in place by the end of this week, but this appears to be more of a long-term solution.

“I appreciate the opportunity Coach Mullen is giving me here at Mississippi State,” Brewster said in a statement. “The staff here has done a great job, and I’m going to catch up as quickly as possible.”

According to 247’s J.C. Shurburtt, Brewster is flew in to Starkville today, and MSU posted a picture on Twitter showing Brewster at practice. Shurburtt wrote that Brewster is a “tremendous recruiter and good evaluator.”

“Tim is a veteran football coach with extensive experience both in college and the NFL,”Mullen said in a statement. “His tremendous amount football knowledge and ability to teach made him the perfect choice to join our staff at this time. He’ll hit the ground running as we get ready for Jackson State.”

MSU opens the season Sept. 1 against JSU.

Brewster has never coached wide receivers but has coached tight ends quite a bit, most recently with the Denver Broncos (2005-06). He also coached that position group with the San Diego Chargers (2002-04) and was assistant head coach his final season there. Prior to entering the NFL, Brewster was an assistant at Texas (1998-2001, tight ends) and North Carolina (1989-97, tight ends/special teams/recruiting coordinator).

Brewster began his coaching career in 1986 as a Purdue graduate assistant (tight ends/offensive tackles), then spent two years as head coach at Central Catholic High School in Lafayette, Ind., before taking the UNC post.

Central Catholic was his only head coaching job until Minnesota hired him in 2007. Brewster was fired during the 2010 football season after a 1-6 start and reportedly received a $600,000 buyout (CLICK HERE).

Earlier this month, Brewster took a TV gig with the CBS College Sports Network as a color commentator (he was hired along with Houston Nutt and Ron Zook). He was a sideline analyst/reporter last season for Fox (CLICK HERE).

Brewster, 51, was born in Phillipsburg, N.J., and played tight end at Illinois, where he was twice an All-Big Ten Conference pick. He is married with three sons.